The Wake Forest Technology PlanAn Instructive Update

Annual Meeting of the AACE

Seattle, WA, USA June 24, 1999

by David G. Brown

Vice President, Wake Forest University

Dean, International Center for Computer Enhanced Learning

• Private• 3600 undergrads• 92% residential• 500 each: Med, Law,

MBA, PhD• $800M endowment• Winston-Salem NC• Baptist Heritage

• 1300 avg SAT• 29th USNWR • Top 35 Privates in

Barron’s Guide• Rhodes Scholars• 1997 National Debate

Champions• Tim Duncan (ACC)

Wake Forest University

THE WAKE FOREST PLANF96: IBM 365XD, 16RAM, 100Mhz, 810MB, CD-ROM, 14.4 modemF97: IBM 380D, 32 RAM, 130Mhz, 1.35GB, CD-ROM, 33.6 modemF98: IBM 380XD, 64 RAM, 233 Mhz, 4.1GB, CD-ROM, 56 modem F99: IBM 390, 128RAM, 333 Mhz, 6 GB, CD-ROM, 56 modem

• Thinkpads for all• New Every 2 Years• Own @ Graduation• Printer for all• Wire Everything• Standard Software• IGN for Faculty• Keep Old Computers

• 40+30 New People• 50% Faculty Trained• 85% CEI Users• +15% Tuition• 4 Year Phase In• Pilot Year• Plan for 2000• Now 3 Classes

CONCEPTS BEHIND PLAN

• Students First• 2 Layers: Threshold +• Rapid Change• Communicate/Access • (Not Present/Analyze)• Standardization• Academic Freedom• Nomadic Learners

• Dominant Use After College

• Empower Existing Units

• Eager Faculty

• Students Change Agent

• Exposure, Not Mandate

• Partnership

• Marketable Difference

Consequences for Wake Forest

• +Applications

• +SAT Scores & Class Ranks

• +Retention & Grad Rates

• +Satisfaction & Learning

• +Faculty Recruitment

• +Interactive Learning

• +Face to Face Dialogue

Computers Enhance My Teaching and/or Learning Via--

PresentationsBetter--20%More Opportunities toPractice & Analyze--35%

More Access to SourceMaterials via Internet--43%

More Communication with Faculty Colleagues, Classmates,and Between Faculty and Students--87%

With Ubiquity---The Culture Changes

• Mentality shifts-- like from public phone to personal phone.

• Teaching Assumptions shift-- like from readings are on reserve to everyone owns a copy of his/her own.

• Timelines shift-- like from “our class meets MWF” to “we

see each other all the time and MWF we meet together”• Students’ sense of access shifts-- like from “I can get

that book in the library” to “I have that book in my library.”

• Relationships shift-- like from a family living in many different states to all family members living in the same town

Faculty Development Strategies-- Most Effective

•Friends and Neighbors!

•Full Time Academic Computer Specialists Trained and Located in Disciplines (ACS)

•Well Trained Students Assigned to One Faculty Member for Full Semester (STARS)

•Seminars Sponsored by the Center for Teaching and Learning (not only technology)

•Tutorials re Equipment by Librarians

•All Campus Help Desk

Faculty Development Strategies-- Modestly Effective

• Poster Sessions Where WF Faculty “Show and Tell” Their Uses of Technology

• Seminars Sponsored by a Faculty Technology Advocacy Group

• Competitive Grants Releasing Faculty From Teaching One Course

• User Group Listservs Centered Around Specific Techniques & Technologies

Faculty Development Strategies-- Least Effective

• Computer Based Training Tapes

• Lectures by Visiting “VIPs”

• Computer Assisted Instruction Listserv

• Attendance at National Workshops Conducted Locally

Lessons Learned

LESSONS LEARNED

• PC’s are only 10% of the Challenge (support/networks/policies/train/expose)

• Most sunk costs can be ignored

• Expectations need management

• Develop a comprehensive plan first, and quickly match it with a multiyear financial plan

LESSONS LEARNED

• Standardization pays rewards well beyond those anticipated; non-standard configurations require 3-4 times support

• Students/Faculty want specific computer training that is centered around a task-at-hand; general classes don’t work well

• Be prepared to outsource challenges

• Don’t wire to every seat

• Use the internet for course materials

LESSONS LEARNED

• Reliability is critical, especially the Help Desk

• Provide academic units staff of their own & plenty of equipment without hassle

• Improve communications weekly; rumors fly faster

• Spread the gains from & ownership of innovation throughout all units

David G. BrownVice President and DeanInternational Center for

Computer Enhanced LearningWake Forest University

Winston-Salem, N.C. 27109336-758-4878

e-mail: brown@wfu.eduhttp//:www.wfu.edu/~brown

fax: 336-758-4875http://iccel.wfu.edu